The Medium

The Medium presents an unusually demanding workload for the Intel Core i5-13400F and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT pairing. The benchmark data reveals a configuration that is heavily constrained by the graphics card at higher resolutions, yet shows surprising headroom when settings are lowered. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across all tested configurations, providing a clear picture of what this hardware combo can deliver in this specific horror title.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, confirming that the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is the primary limiting factor in this configuration. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 89 FPS at 1920x1080 to 59 FPS at 3840x2160, a reduction of 30 FPS or approximately 34%. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the CPU has ample headroom to feed the graphics card at lower resolutions but the GPU simply cannot maintain the same output as pixel count increases.

The Medium preset tells a similar story, with averages of 56 FPS at 1080p, 47 FPS at 1440p, and 37 FPS at 4K. The incremental drops of 9 FPS and then 10 FPS show a linear degradation that points directly at the graphics card's fill rate and memory bandwidth as the bottleneck. At High settings, the pattern continues: 40 FPS at 1080p, 34 FPS at 1440p, and 26 FPS at 4K. The 4K result here is particularly telling, as it falls below the playable threshold for most users.

The Ultra preset delivers the most dramatic scaling, starting at 32 FPS at 1080p before dropping to 27 FPS at 1440p and finally to 21 FPS at 4K. These numbers indicate that the RX 5700 XT, with its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus providing 448.0 GB/s bandwidth, is overwhelmed by the combination of high resolution and maximum graphical fidelity. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the system is delivering less than half the frame rate it achieves at 1080p Low, underscoring the GPU's dominance in determining performance outcomes for this title.

What is particularly notable is the absence of any significant CPU-related stalling in the data. The Core i5-13400F, with its 10 cores and 16 threads, appears to be more than sufficient for this workload. The consistent frame rate drops between resolutions, without any anomalies or min FPS outliers at lower resolutions, suggest that the processor is never the limiting factor in this configuration. The game's fixed-camera perspective and pre-rendered environments likely contribute to this CPU efficiency, allowing the GPU to be the sole determinant of performance across the resolution spectrum.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is an end-of-life product built on the RDNA 1.0 architecture, featuring the Navi 10 chip manufactured on a 7 nm process by TSMC. Its 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 render output units are paired with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory. The memory operates at 1750 MHz, translating to 14 Gbps effective, across a 256-bit interface for a total bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. These specifications directly explain the measured performance in The Medium, as the game's dense, layered scenes place heavy demands on both fill rate and memory throughput.

The GPU's clock behavior shows a base clock of 1605 MHz, a game clock of 1755 MHz, and a boost clock of 1905 MHz. In practice, the card's thermal and power management will determine where it settles during extended gameplay, but the data suggests that even at boost frequencies, the card struggles at higher resolutions. The 225 W TDP and dual-slot cooler design indicate a card that is power-hungry for its performance class, and the 550 W suggested PSU requirement shows that system builders need to account for significant power draw.

Looking at the benchmark scores, the RX 5700 XT achieves a Passmark G3D score of 16277 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2134. These synthetic benchmarks place it in the 59th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 16361. Its nearest rivals, including the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M and NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell, are within 0.3% to 0.9% in average score, indicating that the card sits in a tightly contested performance band. However, The Medium's measured results show that this theoretical parity does not translate to consistent frame rates at higher settings.

The 8 GB VRAM capacity is a critical factor in this game. At 4K resolution, the high texture detail and complex lighting models of The Medium can easily approach or exceed this limit, leading to texture swapping and reduced performance. The measured drop from 59 FPS at 4K Low to 37 FPS at 4K Medium — a 22 FPS decrease — suggests that memory bandwidth and capacity are being taxed heavily as settings increase. The min FPS figures of 31 at 4K Medium and 40 at 1440p Medium further highlight the GPU's inability to maintain consistent frame pacing under load, a symptom of memory pressure and shader complexity.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run The Medium at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Only at Low settings, where it achieves an average of 59 FPS. At Medium, the average drops to 37 FPS with a minimum of 31 FPS, which is borderline for smooth gameplay. High and Ultra settings at 4K produce averages of 26 FPS and 21 FPS respectively, which are not suitable for a playable experience.

Q: What is the best resolution for this hardware combination?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 provides the most consistent results across all settings. At Low settings, the combo reaches 89 FPS, and at Medium it maintains a solid 56 FPS with a minimum of 48 FPS. Even at High settings, the average of 40 FPS is acceptable for a slower-paced horror title.

Q: How does the RX 5700 XT compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score of 16361 is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M, which scores 16351 (0.1% delta). The NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell scores 16408 (-0.3% delta), and the AMD Radeon PRO W7500 scores 16415 (-0.3% delta), placing all four cards within 0.9% of each other.

Q: Is the Core i5-13400F a bottleneck for this game?

A: No. The CPU's performance in synthetic tests, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 22604 and a single-core score of 3191, indicates it has ample processing power. The consistent frame rate drops between resolutions point to the GPU as the sole bottleneck.

Q: What is the frame time consistency like at Medium settings?

A: At 1920x1080 Medium, the average FPS is 56 with a min of 48 and max of 64, showing a spread of 16 FPS. At 2560x1440 Medium, the average is 47 with a min of 40 and max of 54, a similar spread. At 3840x2160 Medium, the average drops to 37 with a min of 31 and max of 43, maintaining the same relative consistency.

Q: How does the combo rank overall for this game?

A: The combination ranks 2776 out of 3724 tested combos for The Medium, placing it in the bottom 25% of all configurations. This is a reflection of the GPU's age and performance class rather than any deficiency in the CPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the resolution most suited to this hardware, the results show a clear hierarchy across settings. Low settings produce an average of 89 FPS, which is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay. Medium settings yield 56 FPS on average, with a minimum of 48 and maximum of 64, providing a stable experience with some headroom for occasional dips. High settings reduce the average to 40 FPS, which is playable but leaves little margin for error in intense scenes. Ultra settings deliver just 32 FPS, indicating that maximum fidelity is not achievable at this resolution with acceptable performance.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance degradation becomes more pronounced. Low settings still manage a respectable 75 FPS average, showing that the GPU can handle the higher pixel count when graphical effects are minimized. Medium settings drop to 47 FPS average, with a minimum of 40 and maximum of 54, which is borderline for a smooth experience. High settings produce only 34 FPS, and Ultra falls to 27 FPS, making these presets largely impractical for this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations become starkly apparent. Low settings achieve 59 FPS, which is the only playable result at this resolution. Medium settings average 37 FPS with a minimum of 31 FPS, which will result in noticeable stuttering during gameplay. High settings drop to 26 FPS, and Ultra plunges to 21 FPS, both well below acceptable thresholds. The gap between Low and Medium at 4K — a 22 FPS difference — is the largest single jump in the entire dataset, highlighting the GPU's sensitivity to increased texture and shading complexity.

The minimum FPS data, where available, provides additional insight into frame pacing. At Medium settings, the min FPS scales proportionally with resolution: 48 at 1080p, 40 at 1440p, and 31 at 4K. This consistent ratio suggests that the GPU is being uniformly stressed across all resolutions, with no sudden spikes in demand that would indicate a driver or memory issue.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-13400F and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT ranks 2776 out of 3724 tested combinations for The Medium. This places the combo in the bottom 25% of all configurations, a position that reflects the GPU's age and performance class. The CPU itself is not the issue; it performs in the 77th percentile of all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 25292, and its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS (25284, 0% delta) and the Intel Core 5 120 (25362, -0.3% delta). These scores show that the i5-13400F is a strong performer that can hold its own against more expensive processors.

The GPU, however, sits in the 59th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 16361. Its nearest rivals are all within 0.9% in average score, showing that it is a mid-tier card in synthetic tests. However, the measured results in The Medium reveal that this card struggles more than its synthetic scores suggest. The game's demanding rendering techniques, combined with the card's 8 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth, result in performance that lags behind what the benchmark scores might predict.

The ranking of 2776 out of 3724 indicates that the vast majority of tested combos deliver better performance in this game. This is not surprising given that the GPU was released in 2019 and is now marked as end-of-life. The combo's performance is adequate for 1080p gaming at medium settings, but it will not satisfy users seeking high refresh rates or 4K experiences. For a horror game like The Medium, which relies on atmosphere and tension rather than fast-paced action, the 40 FPS achieved at 1080p High may be acceptable to some players, but the data clearly shows that this is not a high-performance configuration.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal configuration for this hardware combo is 1920x1080 with Medium settings. This preset delivers an average of 56 FPS with a minimum of 48 FPS, providing a smooth and consistent experience that preserves the game's visual atmosphere without sacrificing playability. The jump from Medium to High at this resolution costs 16 FPS on average, which is a significant reduction for marginal visual gains. For players who prioritize frame rate stability, Low settings at 1080p offer 89 FPS, which is more than double the requirement for smooth gameplay, but Medium provides a better balance of visual quality and performance.

At 2560x1440, the only viable option is Low settings, which achieves 75 FPS. Medium settings at this resolution fall to 47 FPS with a minimum of 40 FPS, which will result in noticeable dips during demanding scenes. The 1440p Medium experience is playable but not ideal, and players should be prepared for occasional stuttering. For those with 1440p monitors, Low settings are strongly recommended to maintain a consistently smooth frame rate.

At 3840x2160, Low settings are the only choice for playable performance, delivering 59 FPS. Medium settings at 4K produce 37 FPS, which is technically playable but will feel sluggish, especially during the game's more intense sequences. High and Ultra settings at 4K are not recommended, as their sub-30 FPS averages make the game feel unresponsive. The data suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, with 1440p possible only at reduced settings and 4K reserved for those willing to compromise heavily on visual fidelity.

For the best overall experience, the data points to 1080p Medium as the sweet spot. This configuration maintains a minimum of 48 FPS, ensuring that even the most demanding scenes remain fluid, while still allowing the game's horror atmosphere to shine through. Players seeking maximum visual quality should note that Ultra settings at any resolution result in sub-40 FPS averages, making this preset entirely impractical for this hardware combination.